Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to refrigerated product storage and dispensing, and more particularly to a refrigeration system for storing products (such as pharmaceutical products) and dispensing such products in a controlled manner that allows automatic tracking of inventory dispensed by and maintained within the refrigerated dispensing unit.
Background
Pharmaceutical products are distributed in many different ways. In many instances, the pharmaceutical product must be kept at a specific temperature in order to ensure its active ingredients retain their chemical properties. For example, some vaccines and antibiotics must be kept refrigerated to ensure that they maintain their pharmaceutical capabilities. In dispensaries, whether pharmacies or doctor's offices, these drug products are typically kept in traditional refrigerators. There is a minimum level of security and maintaining an inventory of the products can be a tedious and labor intensive endeavor.
Existing refrigerators and other such containers do not provide a doctor or pharmacist with an easy and secure method for dispensing medicines that require refrigeration. Thus, there is a need for a refrigerated container that allows physicians, pharmacists, and other individuals responsible for dispensing medicine to easily dispense the products and maintain an accurate inventory of the products.